Toothbrush holder



F. E. HART TooTHBnJsH HOLDER April 21, 1942.

Filed May 18, 1958. 2 Sheets-hee 2 l INVENTOR. F//ed E HCW ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr.`21, 1942 l l l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y f 2,280,431 v Y o o 'roornBRUsH HOLDER Fred E. Hart, Los Angeles,`Calif. Application May 1s, 193s, serial No. 208,600 i 6 Claims.

` My inventionrelates to a holder for toothbrushes which cleanses and sterilizes the brushes While they are supported and enclosed in said holder and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a holder of this class that is so constructed that air moves therethrough for quickly drying the brush bristles;

Second, toprovide a holder of this class which is very sanitaryy. y

Third, toprovide a holder of this class with novel means of supporting a germicide or sterilizing agentin effective relation with the bristles of the toothbrush; o

Fourth, to provide a holder of `this class in which a plurality of brushes may be held for drying and sterilizing; K y

Fifth, to provide a holder of this class which is so arranged and `constructed that there is free flow and passage of air therethrough carrying with it the sterilizing agent in close proximity tothe toothbrush bristles;` p

Sixth, to provide a holder of this class in which the entire toothbrush is entirelyenclosed;

Seventh, to provide a holder of this class which is very compact; p

Eighth, to provide `a holder of this class with a central air `shaftin which a `sterilizing medium is positioned andthe toothbrush arranged for receiving the air `in its passage directly on the bristles of the brushes;

-Ninth.` to provide a `holder of this class which a sectional view taken from the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Figo. 6 is a side elevational view of my brush holder in a slightly modified form from that of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive; Fig. 7 a longitudinal sectional view taken from the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

4 Fig. 8 a transverse sectional view taken from holds the brush bristles in certain" position at all times after they are positioned; and

Tenth, to provide a toothbrush holder .of` this class which is very simple and economical of i construction, efficient in litsactlon and in which the brushes are readily accessible.

With these and .other` objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of `certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as i `will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth inthe appended claims, refvation to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 3 is a` transverse sectional view taken from the 'line 3--3 `of Fig. 1;.Figl4 is a reduced sectionalview taken from the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional View taken from the line 9-9 of Fig.` 7.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several4 views of the drawings. The base member I, body member 2, toothbrush support 3, chemical container support 4,

chemical container 5, chemical container clip 6,

wardly extending foot members lb which servesv to hold the base member up off of a table or other object upon which it is positioned. It is provided with a recessed portion Ic in its upper outer edge adapted to receive the lower edge `of the body member 2. This basev member Al is provided with an upwardly extending central Vcylindrical portion" Id which serves as an air shaft. It is providedacross its upper end with a bar le and a reduced flange portion lf at its upper end all as shown best in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. 'The body member` 2 is cylindrical in form` and is seated at its lower edge in the recess Ic and is provided at its upper edgewith a reduced portion 2a forming a recess 2b in which is mounted the lower outer edge of the toothbrush support `3. This toothbrush support 3 is provided with a reduced portion 3a over which the lower edge of the cap member 'l is mounted as shown best in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. This member 3 is provided with a horizontal' flat portion 3b in which is a plurality of holes 3c i whichare adapted to receive the handle of the toothbrush. In this case I have shown four. The central portion of this member 3 extends downwardly in cylindrical` form designated 3d which forms aicontinuation* of the shaft and I cylindrical portion Id. It is provided in its lower end witha bar 3e which is secured to the bar le in alignment therewith by means of a screw 3f, thus providing a shaft from the lower end of the holderat the base lV to the upper side ofthe toothbrush support 3. Mounted up over the upper end of the cylindrical portion 3e `and extending past the side thereof is the chemical container support 4 which is a spider like member shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings the outer extremities extending past the openings 3c in the member 3. These recesses are designated 4a and extend inwardly toward the center of the member 4 sufficiently to provide space for the bristles of the toothbrush as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Mounted centrally on the lower side of the member 4 by means of a screw 6a. is the chemical container clip 6 which is provided with curved ends shown best in Fig. of the drawings and is a spring clip which is adapted to receive the one end of the chemical ycontainer 5 which consists of a cylindrical member 5a which is foraminous and provided with Vend caps 5b and 5c, the end member 5b being clamped by the member E for supporting it in suspended position as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The cap member 'I is an inverted cup shaped member the walls of which converge upwardly and it is provided in its upper side Ia with a plurality of perforations 'Ib and mounted centrally, on the upper end of this cap member 1 by means of a screw 8a is the ventilator member 8 which is provided with a downwardly extending central supporting portion ilb which rests `on the central portion of the cap 'I at the upper end and supports the same and leaving a space at 8c for the exit of air in its passage upwardly through the shaft formed by the cylinder members Id and 3d, then through the openings 3c past the brush bristles and out through the openings 1b and 8c. It will be here noted that the member 4 is readily removed which carries with it chemical container 5 which may be pulled from the member E and another chemical conytainer placed therein when deterioration has taken place in the chemical in the container 5 by age or usage.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figs. 6` to 9 inclusive of the drawings, the toothbrush holder is simpler in form but provides for only two brushes. In this case the base portions and body portion and shaft portion are formed in an integral member designated 9 consisting of an outer cylindrical portion 9a, an inner cylindrical portion Sb spaced therefrom and forming the air shaft. This inner air shaft is designated 9c and is irregular in cross section as shown best in Fig. 9 of the drawings and provides two longitudinal chambers 9d for receiving the handles of the toothbrush. This base member is provided with cutaway portions Se at opposite sides to admit air leaving engaging portions 9J.

Mounted in the lower ends of the chamber 9c is a chemical supporting spring clip Ii) which is U-shaped and the free ends are spring fitted into the sides of the chamber 9c as shown best inv Fig. 9 of the drawings.' Secured centrally on this clip I il is the chemical container clip 6 which is similar to the chemical container clip heretofore described and it supports the chemical container 5, which is the same as heretofore deis mounted. This cap member I2 is provided with a screw threaded bolt I3 which is adapted to nt in the threads in the portion IIb and is secured centrally in the cap member I2. This cap member I2 is also provided with openings I2a adapted for the exit of air and over ths cap is provided a ventilator I4 which is provided with a central support portion Ilia and leaving spaced portions Mb for the exit of air, all as shown best in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Thus air will pass through the portion 9e up through the chamber 9c around the chemical container 5 through the openings IIa, through the brush bristles then through the opening |211, and out between the ventilator and cap at I4b,

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions and certain modiiications thereof, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement nor to the modication, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, the combination of a base member provided with a central cylindrical shaft portion, a body member concentric therewith forming a chamber around saii central cylindrical shaft portion, a toothbrush support mounted on the upper end of said body member and provided with a central downwardly extending cylindrical shaft portion conforming to said iirst mentioned shaft portion and forming a continuous shaft therewith, said support provided with a plurality of brush handle receiving openings outwardly of said central cylindrical shaft portion, a chemical container support positioned centrally over the upper end of said toothbrush support provided with bristle receiving recesses, and a chemical container suspended centrally from said chemical container support in said air shaft.

2. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, the combination of a base member provided with a central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, a body member concentric therewith forming a chamber around said central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, a toothbrush support mounted on the upper end of said body member and provided with a central downwardly extending cylindrical air conducting shaft portion conforming` to said rst mentioned shaft portion and forming a continuous shaft therewith, said supp-irt vprovided with a plurality of brush handle receiving openings outwardly of said central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, and a chemical container positioned in said central downwardly extending cylindrical shaft portion.

3. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, the combination of a base member provided with a central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, a body member concentric therewith forming a chamber around said central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, a toothbrush support mounted on the upper end of said body member and provided with a central downwardly extending cylindrical air conductingr shaft portion conforming to said first mentioned shaft portion and forming a continuous shaft therewith, said support provided with a, plurality of brush handle receiving openings outwardly of said central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion, a chemical container positioned in said central downwardly extending cylindrical shaft portion, and a Ventilating cap positioned on the upper end of said casing forming a toothbrush bristle portion chamber communicating with saidcentral cylindrical air conducting shaft portion and with said chamber around said central cylindrical air conducting shaft portion.

4. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, the combination of a casing provided bristle portion chamber, .a chemical container supported in said shaft and communicating openings between said chemical container and the toothbrush bristle portion chamber.

5. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, a casing provided with a central air conducting shaft open at its upper and lower ends and extending from the bottom of said casing to its upper end, a. toothbrush handle receiving chamber in said casing outwardly of said central air conducting shaft intermediate the wall of said shaft and the wall of said casing and a cap provided with Vents positioned on the upper end of said casing above said shaft forming a toothbrush bristle portion chamber.

6. In a toothbrush holder of the class described, a casing provided with a central air conducting shaft open at its upper and lower ends and extending from the bottom of said casing to its upper end, a toothbrush handle receiving chamber in said casing outwardly of said central air conducting shaft intermediate the wall of said shaft andthe wall of said casing, a cap provided with vents positioned on the upper end of said casing above said shaft forming a toothbrush bristle portion chamber, a chemical container supported in said shaft and means at the upper end of said air conducting shaft for conducting air from said chemical container toward the bristles of said brush in said cap.

FRED E. HART. 

